The Fleadh is hosting a series of industry events and panels over the coming days. Here are some of the highlights, including the Film Forum on Thursday, IFTA celebrating 30 years of the Fleadh followed by their annual networking Fleadh lunch on the veranda, and the future of the industry – the next 10 years.

Presented by Western Region Audiovisual Producers Fund (WRAP Fund) and Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland (FÉ/SI), the 2018 Fleadh Forum at the Galway Film Fleadh will take place on Thursday 12 July 2018, in the Galmont Hotel (Veranda Bar) from 1.00 – 5.00 pm.

The Fleadh Forum is a platform to explore and share ideas about what is happening in the audiovisual industry, creating an opportunity for filmmakers to come together and exchange news and views. The Fleadh Forum brings together three key Creative Europe Programmes: ACE, EAVE and Screen Leaders and is also supported by us and Screen Training Ireland.

1.00pm – 1.45pm

THERE IS NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS: The Ten Commandments of the Film & TV Business with Larry Bass in association with Screen Leaders and EAVE:

Following twenty years running ShinAwiL, Larry Bass shares the lessons of 20 years of learning and mistakes

1.50pm – 2.35pm

In Conversation with Eimear Noone:

Hailing from Galway, Eimear Noone is an award winning Irish composer and conductor, who splits her time between composing music for video games, feature films, television, and commercials, and conducting classical and game music concerts. Most recently, Eimear composed and conducted for the iconic video game, World of WarCraft and its new expansion, Warlords of Draenor. Other credits include Heroes of The Storm, StarCraft II, Diablo III, Reaper of Souls, Hearthstone, Overwatch, and many more. Eimear also composed the score for the feature film, The Donner Party (2009) starring Crispin Glover, among others. Arguably the world’s current premier conductor of video game scores (both in the studio and in the concert hall), she has worked with many of the world’s great ensembles such as The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Dallas Symphony, The Royal Philharmonic, The Sydney Symphony and The National Symphony, just to name a few.

Hosted by Esther McCarthy (Screen International)

3.15pm – 4.00pm

MORE MONEY AT THE END OF THE DAY: Building a Finance Plan to Beat the Market in association with ACE Producers:

The market for feature films, once underpinned by home entertainment and television, but now facing Netflix-or-nothing prospects of online distribution which provide no meaningful alternative, currently provides a fraction of what it used to invest in the production of new, independent films. Even film projects perceived as strongly marketable rely heavily on various types of subsidy to cover their budgets, and then extract from a broken distribution system risible returns that bear no relation to either their production cost or their audience. More and more producers are reacting counter-intuitively, re-thinking the balance between market money and soft money, and re-interpreting the rationale for film finance.

A case study of the film finance structure of Lance Daly’s historical epic—Black ’47 – the closing gala film At GFF 2018. Handled by Altitude Films, this Irish Luxembourg co-production, which shot partly on location in Connemara, featured a strong line-up of Irish creative talent and was financed by the IFB, BAI, TV3, Eurimages, Luxemburg Film Fund, U Media and Primeridian.

The Film Fleadh has the honour of sitting down with some luminaries of the silver screen to discuss their lives and work, while they present their latest films here in Galway.

Element Pictures are one of Ireland’s most successful film production companies. Run by Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe, with offices in Dublin and London, Element Pictures works across production, distribution, and exhibition. Early releases include The Magdalene Sisters, Adam & Paul and The Wind That Shakes the Barley. More recent productions include The Killing of a Sacred Deer, and the Oscar®-winning Room. Andrew and Ed jointly run Element Pictures, which was set up in 2001. Ed’s focus is on overseeing the development of their film and television slate and producing greenlit projects, while Andrew’s focus is on managing the financing and business affairs of Element’s slate of projects and the overseeing of Element’s co-production activity in both film and television.

For their contribution to film in Ireland, the Galway Film Fleadh is proud to pay tribute to Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe, who will be presented with a Galway Hooker Award at Sunday night’s Award Ceremony.

IFI International returns to the Galway Film Fleadh to discuss the programming of Irish film through international channels and to create a space where programmers and organisers of film festivals can meet. With contributions from the Irish Film Institute, Culture Ireland and international film programmers, this workshop-style session aims to discuss common goals and challenges facing programmers, to identify available resources for international exhibition of Irish film, and to exchange views and information in order to find useful outcomes.

Registration from 10:00a.m., event begins at 10:30.

Thanks to Huston School of Film & Digital Media, NUI Galway for hosting the event.

Rsvp: emelinn@irishfilm.ie

SHORT FILM PANEL

Fri 13 July / Rowing Club / 16:30

Dedicated to emerging and established filmmakers, we will discuss everything from festivals to funders. Panellists include Jacopo Chessa of Torino Short Film Market and Christine Morrow, new and emerging talent executive of Northern Ireland Screen.

SATURDAY 14TH JULY

IFTA CELEBRATING - 30 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE GALWAY FILM FLEADH

Veranda Lounge, The Galmont Hotel, 12 noon

IFTA CEO Áine Moriarty, will host an ‘In Conversation' with Fleadh CEO Miriam Allen, along with special audience guests who will discuss the history of the Fleadh since it's inception back in 1989 and take a look back at the key milestones along it's journey to becoming one of the most important and influential festivals for Irish filmmakers and international co-producers today and why it is listed as one of the "25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World".

In 2011, Adam Dawtrey, then European Editor of Variety wrote: “Not since the Titanic slipped out of the Harland and Wolff shipyard in 1912, has something manufactured in Belfast launched to such fanfare.”

Seven years later as the final season concludes filming, the local, national and international significance of GAME OF THRONES cannot be underestimated in terms of sector development in Northern Ireland. The series has catapulted the region into the premier league of global production locations, putting to rest any doubt about Northern Ireland being able to deliver on the highest level and leaving a local and highly skilled crew-base with vast experience on a show of this size and scale that has the highest productions values on television today.

Much has been written about “The Game of Thrones effect” and in this panel session, we will hear about the more personal stories from four key crew members. Looking at what the show means to them, how it has transformed their lives, careers and companies, we will chat with Bernie Caulfield, Executive Producer; Oliver Butler, Co-Producer; Carla Stronge, Casting Director and Alanna Riddell Bond, Associate Producer.

Moderated by Moyra Lock, head of Marketing with Northern Ireland Screen

Chaired by Conn Holohan, lecturer at the Huston School of Film and Digital Media NUI Galway, this panel will explore the career trajectories and day-to-day work practices in the Irish Film Industry, from a diverse group of film practitioners. Panellists include:

Chaired by Páidí Ó Lionáird (TG4), a thought-provoking look inside the sector and what can be done to meet the needs of a growing filmmaking industry in Ireland.

The panel will consist of;

• Tom Dowling (Troy Studios);

• Elaine Geraghty (Screen Producers Ireland);

• Macdara Kelleher (Fastnet Films);

• Gareth Lee (Screen Training Ireland);

• Siobhán Ní Ghadhra (Ros na Rún);

• Siún Ní Raghallaigh (Ardmore Studios & Troy Studios).

ACCELERATING GENDER EQUALITY

FREE / Sat 14 July / Rowing Club / 14:00 - 15:45

A debate on whether it’s time to introduce quotas within the Irish film industry. Are quotas an effective way to accelerate change, or a dangerous “threat to quality”? Join us and add your voice. See you Saturday 14 July. Organized by the Equality Action Committee (EAC) of the Writers Guild & Screen Directors Guild and Women in Film and Television.

Panel:

• Dr Annie Doona – Chair Screen Ireland

• Michael O’Keefe – CEO Broadcasting Authority of Ireland

• David Collins – Producer

• Orla O’Connor – Director National Women’s Council of Ireland

Moderator – Dr Susan Liddy

Drinks reception afterwards – all welcome!

With a drink on the house for WFT / WGI/SDGI members. Not a member yet? No problem – join now or membership is open on the day!

MEET THE FESTIVALS

Sat 14 July / Rowing Club / 17:30

Every year the Fleadh welcomes a host of talented organisers and programmers from across the world’s leading international film festivals. This year we will open the discussion to the public with our Meet the Festivals Panel. The event will give festival professionals space to give their tips and advice. While a representative from Culture Ireland will join the panel to tell you more about how they can support you and your film internationally.